خودکشی در دین اسلام

The scientific investigation on the role of religion on the suicide rates has begun by the end of the nineteenth century. Nevertheless, these studies have been focused on the comparison of suicide rates between Protestants and Catholics. Given the enormous diminishing effect of Islam on suicide rates within Islamic communities, the history of scientific studies on this issue dates back only to recent decades. Therefore, this review article has been attempted to provide a clear picture of the effect of Islam on suicide. Based on the results of this study, since Islam officially have prohibited suicide, the overall suicide rates are low within the Islamic countries. However, the rather high suicide rates for young women within Islamic societies compared with other age-sex groups and the higher use of violent methods such as hanging and self-immolation by them, requires more research. Key words: Islam, Suicide